A nose tackle occupies the center of a defensive line. Sacrificing for the greater good, he bears the brunt of the offense's foremost battering rams.

It's not rare for him to joust with two blockers who together weigh 600 pounds or more.

The Chargers seemingly could use another nose tackle to assist the two on their roster, and most NFL draft analysts say Nix, who manned the job for 34 games at Notre Dame, is the best one in his draft class and a potential first-round selection.

It's easy to see why. He is 6-foot-2, 331 pounds and broad of frame, and when he was in peak form two years ago, he outmaneuvered several blockers. Even against mighty Alabama, which smashed Notre Dame in the 2012 national title game, Nix held his own.

Defensive players are fond of a stout nose tackle, because he frees them up to chase running backs.

On pass plays, if a nose tackle can disrupt the quarterback, that’s a fat cherry on top of the sundae.

Someone so large seldom can move so fast and far. Get a special nose tackle for your "3-4" defense, and you'll go to the Super Bowl. That's the recent history.

Where do NFL teams find them?

If they find one at all – and many clubs either have to spackle the position or scheme up other options -- the first round of the draft seems the best place.

The last three Super Bowl winners that ran a 3-4 defense, which is the Chargers' main design, drafted a difference-making nose tackle in the first round.

The Packers’ Super Bowl season of 2010 coincided with the lone standout year to date from B.J. Raji, a nimble 6-2, 332-pounder from Boston College taken ninth in 2009. One of several fine seasons from Oregon alumnus Haloti Ngata, who is 6-4, 338 and brute-strong, assisted the ’12 Ravens. For the Steelers' three Super Bowl teams of the 2000, the line's anchor was Casey Hampton, a 6-1 320-pounder chosen 19th out of Texas.

And for the Patriots, who prefer a 3-4 scheme, it was a 2001 first-round draftee in Vince Wilfork (21st, Miami Hurricanes) who manned the position in their Super Bowl seasons of 2007 and 2011 that ended with losses to the Giants.

The aforementioned four nose tackles have all reached at least one Pro Bowl, with 16 appearances as a group.

Their average draft slot was 15th.

Wilfork, who in his prime chased down a few quarterbacks, is likely to receive votes for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Among his admirers is Chargers linebacker Donald Butler.

In March when a since-resolved salary dispute threatened to make Wilfork a free agent, Butler took to Twitter, seemingly with adrenaline soaring. His Tweet: “I want #vincewilfork!!!”

Butler praised as well other Chargers defenders, including nose tackle Sean Lissemore, a 303-pounder who contributed to the team winning a playoff berth last year. The linebacker was merely implying the obvious, that a top-flight nose tackle would be a boon to any defense, including a team’s other nose tackles.

The question of Nix becoming a special NFL nose tackle would spark a fun debate. He started 11 games as a sophomore after sitting out his freshman year to get used to college rigors and improve his conditioning. As a junior, he looked like a potential NFL standout (his strong work coinciding with the career-best season of linebacker Manti Te’o, now Butler's sidekick at inside linebacker).

Nix was less effective in 2013. In September, he was heavier and slower. He was knocked to the ground more often. His hands remained quick, but it was an up and down season. Following his eight games, he had surgery to repair torn meniscus in his left knee.

Sleeker by February, Nix weighed 331 at the NFL Combine.

The Chargers have the 25th pick, followed by No. 57. The last nose tackle they drafted, Cam Thomas, was a fifth-round selection in 2010. To invest a first-round pick in Nix, the belief would be that his middle season of three was indicative of his NFL potential.

It sucks that he has the blown out knee, being young and the severity of the injury may allow him to come back. I'd have a hard time grabbing him with our 3rd if there was a known better player available.

What do you ........ "Old age" ?????...................my mental faculties were never that kind even in my younger years.

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My only expectations were that he'd make the team.... the rest was just taking Uncle Tom's joke and running with it. Not the first time someone's thought I was being serious, when I wasn't..... and vice versa.

My only expectations were that he'd make the team.... the rest was just taking Uncle Tom's joke and running with it. Not the first time someone's thought I was being serious, when I wasn't..... and vice versa.

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Only make the team !!!! ................... so you went to all that effort making God knows how many pics/gifs etc, for a guy who was likely to be nothing better than "a warm body taking up a roster space" ?

Can't say I recall what Father Thomas had to say about Baby Zee way back when, but I guess I have to take your word on it !!

....or I could go and search through the quotes from the 2010 draft in the JNCP.

Don't worry Jack you wernt mistaken, it's the classic Blue Bolt Backpedal move, blame others for not getting the supposed "joke" that was never there. He does it A LOT.

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Now knowing the history between you 2 Matty, I'm not about to get involved in a -slingin' competition ( I love it when you 2 go at by the way ), but BLEW and I have been around the block together for more years now than I care to remember, so he has a few credits in the bank with me, so to speak, the simple fact he finds it hard to remember some of his past posts just shows how we are all getting old and forgetful.

Do what I do these days ......................when you see what you believe may turn into a regretful post from someone, copy it and keep it in a file to use at a later date to ZINGGGG their arse ...................... its so much fun to pull up a post from years ago and see them flop around like a flathead out of water, while trying to deny they ever said it.

Only make the team !!!! ................... so you went to all that effort making God knows how many pics/gifs etc, for a guy who was likely to be nothing better than "a warm body taking up a roster space" ?

Can't say I recall what Father Thomas had to say about Baby Zee way back when, but I guess I have to take your word on it !!

....or I could go and search through the quotes from the 2010 draft in the JNCP.

Now knowing the history between you 2 Matty, I'm not about to get involved in a -slingin' competition ( I love it when you 2 go at by the way ), but BLEW and I have been around the block together for more years now than I care to remember, so he has a few credits in the bank with me, so to speak, the simple fact he finds it hard to remember some of his past posts just shows how we are all getting old and forgetful.

Do what I do these days ......................when you see what you believe may turn into a regretful post from someone, copy it and keep it in a file to use at a later date to ZINGGGG their arse ...................... its so much fun to pull up a post from years ago and see them flop around like a flathead out of water, while trying to deny they ever said it.

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Your memory of the subject is flawed, but that's nothing new.

As you know, it all started out as a rip on Ringo's declaration that Thomas wouldn't even make the roster after he was drafted. I thought his assertion was harsh (and foolhardy), so I declared Thomas a "mortal lock" to make the team. It was all just a bit of fun. As it turned out, I was correct.

Later on, someone posted a grinning picture of Cam, and Tom posted a pic of baby Godzilla, that had more than a passing resemblance...... I took the joke and ran with it. From there, the whole Baby Zilla moniker was born. It wasn't from my great expectation that Thomas would become a monster player...... sorry to burst your bubble. You see, unlike some, I still have all my faculties intact.

Of course, I was hoping that Thomas would develop into a good player, but that's no different than any other player that the Chargers draft. I always hope for the best from our front office. Maybe now, we'll actually get more consistent return from our picks. Telesco is off to a decent start.